Toothpaste dispenser

Abstract

A wall mountable bracket has an upwardly opening pocket receiving a replaceable cartridge of toothpaste, the cartridge having a bottom outlet and a valve assembly for it. The cartridge is mounted with the dispensing valve at the lower end and the cartridge has an upper end wall movable downward toward the valve for dispensing the contents. A downwardly opening cup is fittingly received over the outside of the cartridge and inside the bracket pocket, and has a spring loaded plunger engaing the upper wall of the cartridge to urge the contents thereof toward the valve. The valve is a knob-operated, sprng-loaded gate valve. The cartridge-valve assembly is disposable as a unit when the contents of the cartridge have been exhausted.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A dispenser comprising: a bracket for mounting to a support;   an elongated cup having an open end received in said bracket, with locking means thereon for locking said cup to said bracket, said cup having a plunger longitudinally movable therein, and biasing means urging said plunger toward the open end of said cup;   a disposable cartridge of material to be dispensed, said cartridge being disposed in said cup, and said cartridge and bracket having cooperating means for reception and support of said cartridge in said bracket, said cartridge having an outlet for material to be dispensed, and said cartridge having a manually operable valve associated with said outlet and operable, when manually actuated, to open said outlet for dispensing said material from said cartridge, said valve being attached to said cartridge independent of said bracket;   said cartridge having a movable wall engaged by said plunger when said cartridge is in said cup and supported by said bracket, said movable wall being urged by said plunger toward said outlet to pressurize said material for discharge when said valve is actuated to open said outlet.   
     
     
       2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein: said bracket is upwardly opening and has a cup receiver portion with key slots in an inner wall thereof; and   said cup is downwardly opening and said locking means are lugs receivable in said key slots for turn-and-lock of said cup therein; and   said bracket has a horizontally opening slot to receive an outlet boss and valve operator of said cartridge.   
     
     
       3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein: said valve includes a slideable gate and a manual knob on said gate for actuation thereof between a shut position and an open position thereof.   
     
     
       4. The dispenser of claim 3 and further comprising: a return spring on said gate urging it towards shut position.   
     
     
       5. The dispenser of claim 4 wherein: said material is toothpaste.   
     
     
       6. The dispenser of claim 4 wherein: said bracket has a wall-mounting surface.   
     
     
       7. The dispenser of claim 6 wherein: said bracket has a circular, cup receiver portion therein with a radially opening slot therein diametrically opposite to said wall-mounting surface, to receive a outlet boss and valve operator of said cartridge.   
     
     
       8. The dispenser of claim 4 wherein said bracket and cup are made of plastic. 
     
     
       9. The dispenser of claim 4 wherein: said cup is cylindrical;   said cartridge is cylindrical;   said cartridge movable wall is spherical, with a cylindrical guide wall portion extending upwardly therefrom in contact with the inner cylindrical wall of said cartridge; and   said plunger is spherical, with a cylindrical guide wall extending upwardly therefrom adjacent said cylindrical guide wall portion of said movable wall of said cartridge.   
     
     
       10. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein: said cup is cylindrical;   said cartridge is cylindrical;   said plunger is circular and is spring loaded toward the open end of said cup and is slideable axially in said cartridge as it moves said plunger toward said outlet, whereby material is pushed toward said outlet.